7 March 2026
| In this issue: – SHAC Article: Ombudsman’s Finding Leads to Eviction Not Protection – End Service Charge Abuse: SHAC meeting and Parliamentary questions – Public Interest Law Centre and rent convergence legal action – Housing Sector Podcast |
 Read Here SHAC Article: Ombudsman’s Severe Maladministration Finding Leads to Eviction Not Protection SHAC member Rachel speaks out about a revenge eviction by Peaks & Plains Housing because she took her disrepairs case to the Housing Ombudsman. As Rachel says, it exposes a fundamental gap in regulation because a finding in the tenant’s favour carries no automatic protection. Possession proceedings can be used to remove the problem instead of fixing it, meaning tenants can win on paper and still lose their homes. Read the article here. Please like and share: Instagram ~ Bluesky ~ Twitter ~ Facebook |
 End Service Charge AbuseSpecial One-off Meeting and Questions in Parliament Challenging Service Charges Meeting Due to popular demand, we have scheduled a special meeting dedicated entirely to service charges. This meeting is separate from the regular monthly SHAC meetings. We will be discussing practical ways residents can challenge and resist unfair service charges, including the option of withholding payment. Please join us and encourage others from your block, neighbourhood, or estate to attend. The meeting is open to everyone — not just SHAC members. 6pm, Monday 30th MarchZoom link ~ Passcode: 171184 Add the date to your calendar here. Political Lobbying We’ve continued our political lobbying, with Bell Ribeiro-Addy (MP for Clapham and Brixton Hill) putting a question on our behalf to the Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook: “What assessment he has made of the merits of allowing tenants and residents to pay disputed service charges to the courts, instead of landlords, while the dispute is being heard.” This refers to our demand for a scheme to deal more fairly with service charge disputes (see more here). We will share the response but are not holding our breath. Neil Duncan-Jordan (MP for Poole) also raised a question on our behalf asking Pennycook “if he will meet with the Social Housing Action Campaign to discuss their concerns around service charges.” Neil received the short answer “Neither the Secretary of State nor I have any current plans to meet with the Social Housing Action Campaign.”. We must remember to mention the Labour’s government’s refusal to engage when they come knocking on our doors during election times. |
  Action with the Public Interest Law CentreAppeal for Rent Convergence Legal Action Client Government has decided that social and affordable rents can rise by CPI inflation plus an additional 1% from April this year. On top of this, government is proposing ‘rent convergence’ from April 2027 that will add a further amount of up to £3 per week. Government claims that this will increase housing supply – but their calculations are flawed. Alongside campaigning, we aim to seek a judicial review of this decision with the Public Interest Law Centre acting on our behalf. We therefore seek a member who will be directly affected and is willing to act as a Legal Aid client. All three of the following criteria must apply: – Has no more than £8,000 in savings. – Receiving benefits: Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, a Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit, or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance. Or, has a gross income of less than £2,657 per month and disposable income less than £733 per month. – Is a tenant, not a home owner (leaseholder or shared owner). If you are interested and meet the criteria, please contact SHAC at shac.action@gmail.com. |
| Housing Sector Podcast In the lastest episode of the Housing Sector Podcast, SHAC Secretary Suzanne Muna helps podcaster and housing campaigner Ben Jenkins unpack some uncomfortable truths about service charges, housing benefit, and how housing associations respond when residents push back. If you are dealing with rising service charges, communication restrictions, or housing benefit questions, this episode is essential listening. Listen here. |
 SHAC Monthly Meeting Our next monthly SHAC meeting will hear updates on all our campaigns and is open to all members. It is an opportunity for you to share any campaigns or actions you are organising to challenge bad practice by your landlord. Please join us: 6.30pm, Thursday 26th March2026 Zoom Link ~ Passcode: 459809 Add the appointment to your calendar here. |
| More Information |
| Join our WhatsApp Communities SHAC Campaigns Tribunals Support | SHAC Leaseholders & Shared Owners | Housing Ombudsman Payment Strike Clarion | Hyde | MTVHA | Notting Hill Genesis | Riverside / One Housing | L&Q | Southern | Peabody | Guinness | Home Group | THCH | A2 Dominion | Sanctuary | SNG Council Housing Tenants & Residents | Private Corporate Landlords |
 Nextdoor Network – Recruit to SHAC Join Nextdoor Posting a message on the Nextdoor app is one great way to encourage tenants and residents from your landlord (or other housing associations) to join SHAC and build critical strength. It will help to raise awareness of SHAC’s work and to encourage more recruits to lobby the Government and get our voices heard. Nextdoor is a Facebook-style social networking site that links people in the same locality. You can find out more and get set up here. |